Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) said on Nov. 2 that it is taking part in the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games, which opened in Dakar, Senegal, on Oct. 31, as the International Olympic Committee’s official partner in wireless communications.
Through the partnership, the company plans to support a range of promotional activities, including the “Victory Selfie” program, in which athletes use Galaxy smartphones to film the moment they receive their medals on the podium. It is the first time the Victory Selfie has been introduced at a Youth Olympics.
Samsung Electronics will also support broadcast coverage of skateboarding and taekwondo events using the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The company said the devices can deliver vivid, immersive footage to viewers worldwide that conventional broadcast cameras alone could not capture.
The company has also set up the Samsung Open Station, a space where athletes can mingle and try out Galaxy products during the Games. The station features the Victory Wall, where visitors can create Olympic-themed photos using Galaxy artificial intelligence; Victory Talk, where athletes record short-form video messages to their future selves about their experiences and ambitions in Dakar; and the Victory Photo Zone, a replica medal podium set up for commemorative photos.
Samsung Electronics is also running a mentoring program for the competing athletes under the theme “Beyond the Medal.” The program connects them with role-model athletes selected by the IOC for advice and guidance on their future paths. About 2,700 young athletes are competing in 25 sports at this year’s Games.
Samsung Electronics was a local sponsor of the 1988 Seoul Olympics and has served as an IOC official partner since the Nagano Winter Olympics. It expanded its support to the Youth Olympics in 2010.
“The Youth Olympics is an important stage where young athletes discover their potential and grow toward their futures,” said Choi Seung-eun, head of the mobile marketing center at Samsung Electronics’ Mobile eXperience division. “Through experiences with innovative wireless technology, we will help these rising stars challenge themselves, learn and fully enjoy the special moments of their lives.”
